Norfolk Telecom goes live on O3b satellite network

O3b Networks today confirmed that its customer Norfolk Telecom went live with O3b’s unique ‘Fiber in the Sky’ satellite network in October 2014.

Located halfway between Australia and New Zealand, Norfolk Island is a self-governing territory of Australia. Norfolk Telecom is the incumbent for internet, mobile and fixed line telephone services.

The use of O3b satellites, which are closer to the earth than conventional geostationary satellites, reduces latency, increases internet speed and improves voice and video quality for the user.

In 2014, O3b Networks announced a multi-year agreement to provide trunking services to Norfolk Telecom. Under this agreement, Norfolk Telecom is using O3b as their internet backhaul provider from Norfolk Island, replacing the Island’s previous use of a geostationary satellite (GEO) connection routed to New Zealand for telephone and data traffic.  Now Norfolk Island Telecom is able to provide its customers with a high speed broadband service for the first time, improving user experience and enabling more and better services and content.

Since the advent of O3b services,  Norfolk Island Telecom is promoting applications that are critical to a community that was once digitally isolated such as online banking, up-to-the minute weather information and  access to Australian mainland services. The O3b service is also a big benefit for the Tourism industry.   With O3b, Norfolk Island offers visitors the same services and customer experience that is available in Australia.

With many of the Pacific region island states going live on the O3b constellation O3b’s total capacity contracted in the region is now 5Gbps.

Kim Davies, General Manager Norfolk Telecom said:

“We are very excited to have gone live on the O3b Network. The low latency O3b satellite constellation provides a similar service as we’d receive from an undersea cable, but at a fraction of the investment. The large transponder capacity of O3b will enable Norfolk Island to grow its economy, especially its communications services utilised by the tourist industry.”

“With O3b, Norfolk Island now has the same services and customer experience that is available in Australia. The improvement in the quality and quantity of internet capabilities brought about by O3b is playing a critical role in community development.”

Imran Malik O3b VP - Asia Pacific & the Middle East, said: “We are thrilled to bring Norfolk Telecom up onto our network, and look forward to the changes this will bring to their customers. O3b is providing the highest performance satellite connectivity the world has ever seen. Compared to the Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites connection they used to use, O3b’s network utilizes Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites at much lower altitudes. This means that O3b can offer fiber-like speeds with lower latency, and Norfolk Telecom customers have noticed substantial service improvements.”